Like Cigarette Smoke She Came and She Went
by Jack E. Peace
Summary: Jemma doesn't have time for this. She doesn't have time for ghosts or pranks or mental breakdowns. She has alien bacteria to study. (AU)
1. Part One

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Title comes from the song "I Had Me a Girl" by The Civil Wars.

**A/N: **This story is pretty much the direct result of letting my mind wander while watching too many episodes of _The Twilight Zone_. I took some liberty with certain things, like Jemma and Fitz's time at the Academy and other little bits of information. My inquires about how best to publish this one-shot that turned into something way, _way_ too long didn't give me any conclusive information so I broke the story up but posted it all at once so enjoy at your own pace!

**Part One**

It's only been three weeks since Jemma Simmons' entire life shifted focus and turned into something she never in a million years imagined it would be but she feels like she's adjusting pretty well, all things considered. She's barely on the other side of eighteen; she should be taking her A-Levels with the rest of her friends and planning which university would shape her mind during the next stage in her life. Instead, Jemma has bypassed all the traditional rites of passage that she probably never would have been included in anyway and set herself on the path to her future by accepting a place at one of the SHIELD Academies. Which she hadn't even been aware of three months ago. There's a part of Jemma that figures she should still be waiting for the regret or terror to set in but so far so good. Or, maybe there just hasn't been time for the crippling self-doubt.

Jemma definitely doesn't have time for anything other than a quick dash across the Sci-Tech campus. She's already running late, though that feels like the perpetual state in which she now lives her life. She's never been late for a class but Jemma feels like there's never enough time to take it all in, to do all the research and the assessments and to pour through the pages and pages of research and journals and new discoveries. It's quite thrilling how much information there is in the world to take in and soak up. She doesn't mind cutting out a few hours of sleep to give herself the chance to try to take it all in.

By the time Jemma makes her way through the library, toward the back corner where the cubicles and study tables are situated, Fitz is already sitting at one of the small mahogany tables, hurriedly sketching something on a notepad in front of him.

"Sorry I'm late." Jemma apologizes quickly as she sets her books on the table and drops her messenger bag into one of the spare chairs across from Fitz. "I got caught up talking to Professor Hall and lost track of time."

Fitz lifts his head, albeit reluctantly, and gives her a nod. "That's all right. I don't think either of us are exactly looking forward to working on this particular assignment." He mumbles as he makes a few more notations on his notepad before setting the pencil aside. "It's a waste of time, actually."

Jemma clicks her tongue, shaking her head. "Now, Fitz, there's no such thing as an assignment that's a waste of time." She tells him frankly. "All of our professors are highly qualified. You'd think they'd be beyond giving us busy work."

Fitz rolls his eyes at her. "Easy for you to say." He mumbles. "Professor Vaughn's class hasn't proved very stimulating as of yet."

Jemma can't exactly disagree with that statement. While attending Professor Vaughn's History of SHIELD lectures isn't her favorite way to use her time, Jemma tries to give that class the same amount of focus she affords all her biology and chemistry classes. Which means that she'll give Vaughn's latest assignment one hundred percent, even though there are a few research journals she'd rather be perusing at the moment.

"It'll be simple, really." Jemma assures Fitz. "Basic research. We simply have to pick an agent and compose an essay about their accomplishments."

Neither of them have a particular SHIELD agent in mind; Jemma is still trying to wrap her head around the history of this particular government organization, seeing as they barely crossed her radar prior to offering her a place at their most competitive academy. Some of the things that she's heard and read about recently would seem more like science-fiction if she wasn't seeing demonstrations or working with the technology on a daily basis. Still, it leaves little time for digging up information about the agents of the past.

Jemma and Fitz leave their table to retreat to the depths of the records room in hopes of finding an agent or dossier that captures their fancy. Or at least one that isn't so redacted that it's become unreadable.

Jemma lets her hands trail along the spines of the books and folders and, in some cases, loose pages as she walks down the aisles. The room is quiet aside from the sounds of Fitz hunting through the shelves somewhere behind her. She's always found solace in libraries, or really, any place that was filled practically floor to ceiling with information and the fruits of the mind's labors. She might not be the strongest or the fastest or even the prettiest person out there, but Jemma feels confident in her assumption that she is one of the smartest and it's always nice to be in the company of the others in the world who have gotten by on their intelligence alone.

As has happened an embarrassing amount of time before, Jemma loses herself so deeply in thoughts of the things that she hopes to accomplish not only at Sci-Tech but outside of the SHIELD Academy and neglects the rest of her surroundings. Which is how she bumps right into someone standing right in front of her and stumbles backward in surprise. This, unfortunately, has also happened an embarrassing amount of times before.

"Oh!" Jemma squeaks, her cheeks already starting to burn with embarrassment. Her propensity toward clumsiness has definitely gotten her into trouble countless times before. But when she looks up to see exactly who she's run into, she feels like this is a different sort of trouble all together. Because this girl is ridiculously pretty and it figures that she would run into a ridiculously pretty person here of all places. And now Jemma is certain that her cheeks aren't burning from embarrassment alone. "I am so sorry. I was not paying attention to where I was going and I just…"

Jemma trails off because she realizes that the girl is just staring at her. She doesn't look angry or annoyed about the nature of their encounter; she's not smiling either and she doesn't seem remotely amused by the whole situation. She's just staring, like her collision with Jemma knocked her sense loose.

"Uh…" Jemma purses her lips, her brow furrowing. "Are you all right?"

Finally the other girl blinks and she takes a step toward Jemma. Jemma can't stop from taking her own step backward. "You can see me?"

Jemma glances around, suddenly filled with the sinking suspicion that she's about to become the butt of yet another freshmen prank. During her first week, she'd somehow managed to become a target of several of the upper classmate's pranks, possibly because of her particularly lively reaction to one of Sally Webber's infantile pranks. Jemma has the feeling she's about to give them something else to laugh about.

But the aisles are empty and Jemma can't hear anyone snickering or trying to contain their laughter. Not that that means she's out of the woods. When she looks back at the dark-haired girl, Jemma is surprised to find the expression on her face to be entreating and desperate. Not really the face of someone pulling a prank on someone else.

"Well…yes." Jemma says because she doesn't see any other option. But she tries to keep her tone and posture relaxed, as though this type of thing is perfectly normal and she gets asked these types of questions all the time. "Of course." She shrugs.

The girl takes another step closer. "Listen, I-"

"Jemma?" Fitz's voice from a few aisles over interrupts whatever the other girl is about to say and Jemma calls out to him so he'll be able to find her easily.

When Fitz rounds the corner, he's looking at Jemma with an expression of confusion. "Who are you talking to?"

"Oh, well, I just bumped into," Jemma turns back toward the dark-haired girl in hopes of getting her name but she's gone. Huh. Strange. Jemma's brow knits. "There was someone. A girl. You must have noticed her leaving."

Fitz just arches an eyebrow, looking at Jemma like she's suddenly grown an extra head. "A girl?" He repeats cautiously.

"Yes. She had long dark hair and beautiful eyes." Jemma clears her throat quickly, glancing down at her feet. Not that she notices that sort of thing, of course. "I just bumped into her when I wasn't paying attention."

Fitz is still studying her like he's not quite sure what to make of her and Jemma rolls her eyes at him. "What?" She questions, exasperated.

"Are you feeling all right?" Fitz questions. "You're certain you saw someone? Because there's no one else back here."

Jemma rolls her eyes at him once more. "Oh, don't be ridiculous, Fitz." She shakes her head. "It's not as though I imagined the whole thing." She glances back toward the spot where she last saw the girl, as though expecting her to be standing there once more. But, of course, there's no one there. Now. But Jemma is certain that there had been, just before Fitz showed up. She ran into her, for goodness sakes. That's not the sort of thing you just imagine.

Then again, the girl _did_ seem to disappear quickly. And Fitz didn't see anyone else…

Jemma quickly stops that line of thought, shaking her head as though to dismiss those ideas. What she is even talking about here? The girl was there, end of story. Just because Fitz didn't see her doesn't mean anything.

But Fitz is still looking at her like she's unbalanced and Jemma doesn't appreciate it. "Maybe we should work on the project for Professor Vaughn's class another time." He suggests.

"Come off it, Fitz." Jemma snaps, glowering. "I'm perfectly fine." She starts down the aisle once more, grabbing a book from the shelf at random and dropping it in Fitz's arms. "Let's get started."

Thankfully, Fitz doesn't protest. Even when she drops a few more books into his hands. Jemma likes it much better when they're immersed in schoolwork instead of speculating on the mysterious woman in the archives. Honestly, she likes schoolwork better than most things.

* * *

Over the next few days, Jemma forgets about the strange encounter in the library. She has more important things to worry about, after all. Like neurobiology exams or trying to figure out why the alien bacteria she's supposed to be studying are growing at such an advanced rate. Pretty much everything else goes right out of her mind.

Until she sees the girl again. Jemma is on her way across campus, leaving her Biology of Alien Cultures class for the peace and quiet of her dorm room so she can study the data that she collected for the day and she feels like her mind is being pulled in a dozen different directions. All those thoughts seem to go rushing from her mind when she spots the girl from the library, standing near a clump of trees that provide shade and seclusion and are a popular place for the students to lounge and study in between classes. The girl looks just as confused as she did the first time Jemma saw her.

Jemma feels a rush of relief when she meets the other girl's eyes. See, she _is_ real. That settles that. And maybe it's that sense of relief or maybe it's the fact that Jemma isn't used to getting the attention of pretty girls but when the dark-haired girl gestures to her, Jemma finds herself changing her course and heading over.

"Thank God." The girl says, exhaling in relief. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Jemma wraps her hands tightly around the stack of books in her arms, willing herself to remain composed. "Oh? Well that's…" She clears her throat. "Why?"

"Because you're the only person that can see me."

Well, that's definitely not what Jemma was expecting to hear. Jemma's eyebrows knit together and she looks at the girl. Surely this is a prank and Jemma feels a stab of disappointment. Unfairly attractive girls do not search SHIELD Academy campuses for people like Jemma Simmons. Though Jemma has to hand it to Sally Webber; this prank is far more involved than knocking a few books off a table.

"Pardon?" Jemma says, hoping that a little clarification will shed some light on the situation. Or, at least, bring this prank to an end.

"Listen, I know this sounds really crazy. I get that." The girl tells Jemma quickly, her voice seeming sincere in its tone of desperation. "I have no idea what's going on. I can't…it's like a can't remember anything and I don't know why I'm here or why _no one_ can see me. Except for you."

Jemma scoffs and shakes her head. "That's completely ridiculous." She informs the other girl frankly. "I appreciate that tradition dictates that freshmen are supposed to be hazed and pranked by the older students and I know it's all in good fun. But I no longer have time for this sort of thing." She says. "I have more important things to focus on."

Jemma turns away and starts back toward her dorm. It's definitely hard to walk away from a pretty girl of her own violation but she's not here for that type of foolishness. She's here for the science and research and to learn and expand her horizons. So there.

"Wait! Please just wait a minute!" The girl quickly catches up with her, putting her hand on Jemma's shoulder. Jemma is surprised at how cold to the touch she is.

Jemma sighs and turns back around, looking at the girl expectantly. "This isn't a prank." The dark-haired girl assures her, that look of desperation back on her face. "I _swear_. I don't know what's going on but I need your help."

Jemma opens her mouth to commend her acting abilities and tell her to shove off when she realizes that the students who have gathered in the shade of the nearby trees are staring at her. In fact, even a few of the passing students have slowed their progress to stare. And they're staring at her like you'd stare at someone talking to themselves in the middle of campus.

Jemma feels her cheeks start to turn red and hopes they can't see that too. The girl just looks at her and arches an eyebrow. "See?"

Without another word, Jemma turns and starts marching toward her dorm room. But she beckons for the other girl to follow her.

When they reach the privacy of her dorm, Jemma sets her books on the desk and gives the other girl her full attention. "All right. What's going on? Am I experiencing some sort of freshmen year breakdown? My mum worried I was going to work too hard…"

"No." The girl assures her. "At least, I don't think so. Unless I'm having some sort of breakdown too and we're just going crazy together. I have no idea what's happening."

Jemma sighs and sits down on the edge of her bed. "Perhaps you should start from the beginning."

And so she does. Only there's not much of a story to tell. The girl can't remember much of anything: not her own name or what she's doing hanging around a SHIELD Academy campus or any of the circumstances that have lead up to her being in this predicament.

"It's all just nothing. Well, not quite nothing, it's just really fuzzy around the edges. Like I know I _should_ be remembering something but when I think too hard it just…poof." The girl shrugs. "I could be…what if I'm…" She trails off, her expression fearful.

"A ghost?" Jemma supplies and then rolls her eyes. "Impossible. There's no scientific evidence to explain ghosts."

The girl looks mildly annoyed. "Well, how do you explain this?" She reaches for the books on Jemma's desk and her hands pass right through them. The same thing happens when she tries to open the door to Jemma's closet or pull the sheets off the bed. "Or this?" She reaches for Jemma's shoulders and her hands rest there, solid.

Jemma just stares at her, flummoxed.

"When I ran into you the other day…that was the first time I'd actually connected with someone." The girl tells her. "That has to mean something, right? You have to help me."

"Help you what, exactly?" Jemma says, getting to her feet and pacing around the length of the room. It's a habit she's developed over the past few weeks and though she doubts there's any scientific proof behind it, the movement seems to help her think. "This is all completely crazy. I can't…I don't believe in these sort of things. This simply doesn't make sense." She shakes her head, looking at the girl. "I'm sorry. I just don't…"

The girl looks so utterly lost and defeated and Jemma wants to recant her previous words and agree to help her, no matter what. But she doesn't have time for this. She doesn't have time for ghosts or pranks or mental breakdowns. She has alien bacteria to study.

"Jemma…" The girl says but she doesn't finish her plea. Maybe she doesn't think there's any more point to begging.

They stare at each other for a few minutes, silence filling the room and Jemma has a hard time believing that this girl isn't real. She looks completely solid to her; she _felt_ real when they touched. What is happening?

Jemma nearly jumps out of her skin when someone knocks on her door and she hurries over to answer it, relieved for the distraction. Fitz walks past her, already talking about an idea he's had for a gun that shoots rounds that render the victim unconscious but not injured. He drops his bag on the ground and keeps on talking even though the girl is standing right there because him, not even three inches away and Jemma just stares at them both, a sinking feeling spreading throughout her chest.

Fitz finally stops talking and looks at her, arching an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"

Jemma's eyes flick toward the girl and she just shrugs and crosses her arms over her chest and gives her a look that seems to say _see what I mean_? Jemma looks back at Fitz and feels tears prick her eyes. "I think I'm going crazy." She whispers.

* * *

After Fitz hears the whole story, he insists that she go to the infirmary. Jemma figures that she should have expected this, so she lets him drag her out of the dorms and across campus without complaint. It makes her feel better, in a way, to be on her way to the doctor. She'll be in someone's capable hands, someone who can explain what's going on and help everything make sense.

But when Jemma is actually in the room with the doctor, she finds herself unable to tell him what's going on. It's one thing to tell Fitz that there's a mysterious and pretty ghost that seems to be hanging around her, begging for her help. It's quite another to admit this to a high-up SHIELD professional. Jemma has the feeling that SHIELD doesn't look for agents that see people who aren't there.

So she just makes up a story about feeling tired all the time and the doctor just nods and pats her knee sympathetically and tells her that lots of freshmen (and students of every year) feel overwhelmed by the course load and it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Though, Jemma can think of few things more shameful than admitting that she can't handle her schoolwork. Even if it's a lie.

"What did he say?" Fitz questions when Jemma walks back into the infirmary waiting room. He looks nervous and Jemma feels guilty for worrying him. No one wants to think that his friend is completely losing her mind.

"Just rest and taking it easy." Jemma says, rather than admit that she lied about the hallucinations and potential mental breakdown. "The usual."

Fitz nods and seems satisfied with this advice. "You _do_ study more than anyone else I know." He points out with a smile as he walks her back to her dorm.

"Well, I hardly consider that to be a bad thing." Jemma retorts, glaring at him. But she doesn't really feel annoyed; in fact, she's starting to feel better and more normal and like herself. So what if she happened to see a ghost a few times? That doesn't mean she won't excel in her classes.

The girl is waiting in her dorm when Jemma opens the door. "For what it's worth, I don't think you're crazy." She remarks with a smile. "I'm sure there's an explanation for all this. Isn't that what you people are always saying?"

Jemma sighs and kicks off her shoes. She's suddenly feeling less buoyant about her future prospects as a SHIELD agent. "Well that's debatable." She mumbles. "Wait…what do you mean? 'You people'…that makes it seem as though you're familiar with the Science and Technology Academy." She looks at the girl curiously. "Were you a student here?" But that doesn't seem quite right either, now that she thinks about it. Her comment sounds like the words of someone familiar with the work of the students and graduates from this particular academy but who doesn't actually _do_ any of that work.

The girl seems to mull this idea over, pursing her lips as she thinks. "I…" She closes her eyes and Jemma can see the strain of remembering on her face. "I don't think so." She sighs, shaking her head. "It seems familiar somehow though."

Jemma nods, thinking it over. "Perhaps you attend one of the other academies. Or maybe you're even a SHIELD agent." The girl looks a little young, no more than three or four years her senior but Jemma knows first hand that age is just a number when SHIELD sees promise in someone. "But that doesn't explain why you're _here_."

"There are a lot of things that need explaining, if you ask me." The girl points out. "Like what the hell is happening to me? And why are you the only person who can see me?"

With a sigh, Jemma flops down onto her bed and covers her face with one of her pillows. "This is mental." She mumbles into the fabric. "I must be mental."

The girl doesn't say anything and when Jemma lifts the pillow away, she's surprised to find that the room is empty. She sits up, looking around, but the girl is gone. Jemma isn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.

* * *

When Jemma wakes the following morning, the first thing she does is let out a cry of surprise. Because the girl is back and just standing near the door, her face expressionless and empty, as though she's just checked out for the time being. When she hears Jemma, she brightens slightly and seems to come back into herself.

"Sorry." She says with a smile that makes her look far more amused than actually sorry.

Jemma groans and scrubs her hands across her face. "What are you doing? You can't just hang about in my room like that. Especially not when I'm sleeping."

"Sorry." The girl says again, this time looking appropriately chastised.

Jemma just shakes her head as she pushes the covers aside, slipping out of bed and feeling suddenly awkward and out of place in her own room. She feels exposed, even though there's nothing remotely immodest about her dress or her actions. Still, it's strange to be doing something so mundane with an audience. She starts making up her bed in order to give herself something to do.

"Where did you go last night?" Jemma questions, with her back still to the girl. "You just disappeared all of the sudden."

There's another pause but this time when Jemma glances over her shoulder, the girl is still standing there, brow furrowed. "I don't know." She says finally. "I…I have no idea."

Jemma makes a thoughtful noise as she arranges the pillows on the bed. "Perhaps you're not a ghost. Perhaps this is just a question of existing on different planes and they happen to intersect from time to time…" She mumbles thoughtfully.

The girl arches an eyebrow. "So you're going to help me, right? Because that sounded like you're going to help."

"I'm not sure what I can even do to help." Jemma protests. "If it simply is a question of different planes or maybe even worlds, that doesn't explain your lapse in memory. Or how the planes are intersecting in the first place. If you have died and you are a ghost then I don't think I _can_ help you. And if I'm simply having a mental breakdown then I don't think I can help me either."

"I don't think I'm, you know…dead." The girl mutters the last word, as though speaking it out loud will make it true. "I feel…like there's something pulling me back sometimes, like I'm connected to something." She looks at Jemma. "Does that make sense?"

Jemma sighs. "None of this makes sense." She mumbles. "But I suppose that's a good place to start."

The girl just grins at her and Jemma hates the way her heart hops in her chest. She hates the ways she wants to smile back. But this girl is easily the prettiest person that Jemma has ever seen in her life. It just figures that she might not even be real.

* * *

The girl makes a habit of disappearing and reappearing at random times throughout the day and Jemma forces herself not to react when she shows up again. She forces herself to act just like the rest of her classmates, who go one with their studying and their conversations and their daily routines, seeing right through the girl that looks completely normal and solid and real to Jemma.

It definitely makes it difficult to concentrate in her classes. Jemma finds this more frustrating than anything else because she never has difficulty focusing. It makes it easier when the girl isn't around, though Jemma then finds herself wondering where it is that she goes and how any of this is even happening at all.

Halfway through the day, Jemma finds that she isn't the only one distracted. The arrival of Agent Maria Hill seems to provide a welcome reprieve from talk of classes and exams and most of the students speculate about her arrival and what could be important enough to require her presence on the Sci-Tech campus. Jemma doesn't spend much of her time thinking this over but it is nice to have an excuse if she starts to noticeably zone out.

Jemma is definitely surprised when she walks into Professor Vaughn's class and finds Agent Hill standing up at the front of the room, in the middle of what seems like a very important discussion with Professor Vaughn. They aren't paying any attention to the stares from the passing students or the din of gossip that is filling the room. Jemma glances briefly at Agent Hill as she passes by, trying not to stare. Though the presence of such a well-known and respected agent is definitely worth a few stares.

But Jemma quickly forgets all about Agent Hill when she spots the screen of Hill's tablet, resting on Professor Vaughn's desk. It's a mission report but the details aren't what Jemma finds so fascinating. It's the picture in the left-hand corner. The girl.

"Oh my goodness." Jemma breathes out, unable to stop herself. She inches closer toward the desk, desperate to read as much as she can. "Agent Skye Bradford." She whispers and it feels good to put a name to the face that she's been seeing a great deal of recently.

At the sound of her voice, Agent Hill jerks around, her brow knitting. "I'm sorry?" She glares at Jemma.

Quickly, Jemma shakes her head. "Oh, uh, nothing. Nothing." But her eyes are still being pulled toward the tablet, searching for more information.

Hill follows her line and sight and her stare becomes even more intense. She picks up the tablet and quickly switches the screen to black. "I suggest you find your seat." She commands.

Jemma quickly scampers toward the row where Fitz is already sitting. Being chastised by Agent Hill was definitely not something she ever thought would happen to her. This has been a very eventful couple of days.

"What was all that about?" Fitz questions as soon as Jemma sits down beside him. He tilts his chin in Hill's direction. "What did she say to you?"

Jemma taps her fingers anxiously on the arm rest of the chair, worrying her bottom lip. She figures that it's a bad sign when she hardly cares about being reprimanded by a high-ranking adult. But that feels like it's barely registering in her mind right now.

"Fitz…" Jemma glances around before leaning closer to her friend. "The girl that I've been seeing, the one that I told you about…Agent Hill has her picture on her tablet."

Now Fitz is the one that suddenly looks anxious. "Jemma…I thought all that nonsense was over with." He says, his voice quiet to keep anyone from eavesdropping on their conversation.

Jemma sighs, her brow furrowing. "It's not nonsense." She assures him. "There's something odd going on here. The photograph on the tablet just proves it."

"I'm not quite sure it proves anything." Fitz argues. "No one else can see her but you. And didn't the doctor say-"

"Oh, bother with the doctor." Jemma waves her hand dismissively. "There's something going on and, yes, I agree, it doesn't make sense. But I can't just be imagining things. I just saw her picture, Fitz. She's _real_." And she has a name. Skye. Jemma can't help but turn the word over in her head a few times, enjoying the sound.

Fitz frowns, concern still etched across his features. "Uh…so…where is this girl now?" He questions finally, looking like he can't believe that he's playing along with this foolishness.

Jemma glances around once more, but the only people hanging around are her classmates. Skye is nowhere to be seen. "Well she's not always here." She tells Fitz and for some reason she feels like she sounds crazier than ever. Yeah, she can see this invisible girl, but not _all_ the time, you see. Conveniently. "Sometimes she disappears."

"Oh. I see." Fitz nods and he reminds Jemma of someone trying to have an adult conversation with a child about their imaginary friend. "And where does she go?"

Jemma rolls her eyes at him, shaking her head. "I already feel crazy enough, Fitz." She mumbles. "You don't have to patronize me."

If class wasn't so important, Jemma figures that she would just walk out. This seems like a good moment for a dramatic departure. Instead, she just pulls out her notebook and textbook and pointedly ignores Fitz as she refreshes her memory on the reading. Even though Fitz tries to catch her attention, Jemma just ignores him. That'll have to be good enough as far as storm-outs go.

"I'm not trying to patronize you." Fitz protests as soon as Professor Vaughn brings class to an end. Even though Jemma is trying to make her point by putting distance between them, the amount of students trying to leave the classroom makes it easy for Fitz to keep up. "I'm just worried about you. How else am I supposed to react when my best friend is telling me that she's seeing people who aren't there?"

Jemma feels her anger start to drain away, albeit a bit grudgingly. It's not like she wants to worry Fitz and she can only imagine how this all sounds to him. "I'm worried too." She admits. "But I feel like I can't just be going crazy, not when I saw her picture and…I feel like I need to help her."

Fitz sighs and shakes his head. The expression of someone admitting defeat. "Help her what, exactly?"

"I'm not sure." Jemma admits. She doesn't like questions that she can't answer, variables she doesn't understand or can't control. It only makes her more determined to get all the information she needs to actually get something done. So that's exactly what she's going to do.


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

Jemma is in her dorm room, putting the finishing touches on her required essay for Professor Vaughn's class, when she suddenly feels like she's not alone. It's a strange feeling, one that makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention and her skin start to tingle. Normally she would just dismiss the sensation as a distraction or something that she was imagining. But now she's not so sure.

When Jemma lifts her head, the girl is standing off to her right and Jemma just barely manages not to jump out of her skin. She wonders what would be worse: being startled every time she appears or getting used to her showing up.

"You're pretty jumpy, you know." The girl, Skye, points out with a smile on her face.

Jemma rolls her eyes. "I'm not used to people popping in and out of my room whenever they feel like it." She mumbles. "Where have you been, anyway? It's been hours."

"You sound like you actually missed me." Skye teases, that smile still in place. Jemma thinks that she has a nice smile and she figures that it says something about Skye that, even in the midst of all this craziness, she's still wearing it.

Jemma doesn't know how to respond to that particular comment, so she quickly changes the subject. "I discovered some information about you today." She tells her and Skye's expression turns from sardonic to anxious. "Your name is Skye Bradford. _Agent_ Skye Bradford. You do have a connection to SHIELD."

Skye is silent, letting this information sink in. Slowly recognition spreads across her face and she nods. "I remember." She says softly. "Skye." She grins at Jemma and Jemma finds herself returning the expression, unable to resist the urge. "What else?"

"That's it, unfortunately." Jemma tells her. "But at least it's a start."

Of course, Jemma figures that she'd probably be disappointed if she was some sort of ghost who couldn't remember anything and the only bit of information she was given was her name. But at least it's something, right? It's not like she can do everything. She has classes and assignments to contend with.

Skye sits down on the edge of the bed, only it looks more like hovering than actual sitting. It's strange, how the contours of her body and the blankets seem to blur together and just get fuzzy around the edges. Jemma finds herself unable to keep from staring, intrigued. It would be interesting to study all of this, to do a few experiments and figure out exactly what was going on and how Skye interacted with the laws of physics. Once they figured out what was going on, of course.

"How did you figure that out?" Skye questions, looking over at Jemma. "How did you find out who I was?"

"One of the higher-ranking SHIELD agents had your picture on her tablet." Jemma replies. "I happened to notice as I was walking by."

Skye seems to brighten, getting to her feet. "Well, let's go find her. Maybe she can answer some more questions and tell me…us…what the hell is going on here."

"I can't just go running off across campus. I have assignments that need finishing." Jemma informs Skye frankly. "Besides, it's unlikely that she's still on campus. And even more unlikely that she would actually tell me anything."

Skye gives her an unimpressed look. "Assignments? Really? _That's_ what you're focusing on right now."

Jemma scoffs and shakes her head. "Nothing should get in the way of your schoolwork." She points out primly. She received that lesson from her parents plenty of times. "It's difficult to get back on track once you start slacking off."

With a dramatic sigh, Skye flops back down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "You're probably right anyway." She mumbles. "Why would a high-ranking SHIELD agent tell you anything?"

Jemma bristles. "_You_ seem pretty eager to talk to me." She points out with another roll of her eyes.

Skye wisely declines to say anything more on the subject. Jemma turns back toward her homework, attempting to force some tunnel vision so that she can ignore the fact that she has an invisible (beautiful) girl hanging out on her bed. It's strangely easy to do so, once she gets started.

Jemma moves from her essay to her neurobiology assignments and spends a while pouring over the notes that she's taken about her alien bacteria so she can begin to hypothesize about future behavior of the organisms.

"What are you working on, anyway?" Skye's voice startles Jemma and she jumps. At least Skye does a good job of disguising her laughter with a cough. She's peering over Jemma's shoulder, close enough that Jemma figures she'd be able to feel the heat coming off her if circumstances were normal. Instead her presence just fills Jemma with a strange vibration, like she's too close to an electric current. Strange, yet fascinating.

"Oh, it's…alien bacteria." Jemma says with a shrug, feeling self-conscious about the notes and work spread out across her desk. She's still not used to people taking an interest in the things that she does. Her classmates back in London barely cared about their own education, let alone the work that someone else was doing. And even though her parents encouraged her in all academic pursuits, they didn't understand much of what she was talking about once the subject shifted toward chemistry and biology.

Skye arches an eyebrow. "Alien bacteria, really?" She gives the papers on the desk a passing glance. "What does it do?"

"Mostly, it just grows." Jemma tells her. "But the fascinating thing is that it grows regardless of the conditions that it's exposed to. Extreme temperatures seem to have no impact on the growth rate and it seems as though it will continue to multiply and…why are you smiling at me?"

The smile on Skye's face is different than the one that Jemma has grown used to seeing. It's not much of a smirk or a wry grin. It seems softer somehow, more sincere. And Jemma doesn't know when she became the type of person to analyze people's smiles or why that sort of thing matters to her. But she finds that she likes being on the receiving end of this particular expression.

"What?" Skye asks innocently. "It's just interesting. And you're all excited about it."

"Well," Jemma turns away because she feels heat start spreading across her cheeks, "it _is_ part of my assignment."

Skye shakes her head. "No, it's more than that." She remarks. "You really enjoy it. I can tell. You dig it here."

Jemma can only nod because, while she would have phrased it differently, Skye has just said what Jemma's been thinking since she first showed up the SHIELD Academy. This place…this is _her_ place, where she's supposed to have been her entire life. The people here, the instructors and the students, they understand her. They know what it's like to think and wonder and want to know everything, to want to know how things work and what makes them stop working. And Jemma tries to explain this to Skye but she feels self-conscious and ridiculous trying to put it into words. That soft smile on Skye's face does help a bit, though.

"I know how you feel." Skye says softly once Jemma feels like she's finally talked herself out. "When I joined SHIELD I felt…like I finally belonged somewhere."

Jemma brightens. "You're starting to remember things. That's wonderful. Maybe that can help us figure out our next step."

"Yeah, maybe." Skye says but the smile on her face doesn't reach her eyes anymore and Jemma wonders if Skye is starting to feel like she's mislaid her faith. It must be hard when you have no idea why you don't have a corporeal form and the only person who seems likely to be able to help can't find out anything past your own name.

"We'll figure this out." Jemma says, hoping that she sounds confident enough to reassure Skye and cover up the fact that she doesn't_ feel_ confident at all. "There has to be a logical explanation for what's going on."

Skye just smiles at her again and Jemma feels that annoying fluttering feeling in her chest again. That's another variable she doesn't want to deal with right now.

* * *

"I think I remember my team." Skye says, the sound of her voice unexpected in the quiet of Jemma's bedroom.

Even though it's late and all of the Academy seems to be sleeping around her, Jemma welcomes the distraction. She's been tossing and turning for what feels like hours, unable to will herself to drift off to sleep. It's strange sticking to the normal routine and going through the motions of her daily life with Skye hanging around. Jemma isn't used to sharing her space with anyone else; she's an only, and heavily doted upon child and the SHIELD dorms are mostly singles. And she's definitely not used to sharing her space with beautiful girls. But that seems like the only option right now because Skye doesn't seem to be in charge of when she vanishes and the idea of her just wandering around the SHIELD campus until morning doesn't seem to sit well with either one of them.

Jemma is exhausted, both mentally and physically, but she feels like she's been mainlining caffeine for the past few days and sleep seems practically impossible. Because, even though she can't see Skye, she knows that she's there and when she's not worried about doing something embarrassing, she's thinking about the things she could be doing to help Skye other than sleeping. And of course Jemma knows that she needs sleep and that getting some shut eye is valuable to her thought process. But sleep doesn't seem likely, at least not anytime soon. So Skye's comment is definitely appreciated.

Jemma sits up, reaching over to switch on the bedside lamp. Skye is sitting in her desk chair, doing that weird hovering thing again and there's a faraway, thoughtful expression on her face. She turns to Jemma, surprised, when the light switches on. "Sorry. I know it's late."

"It's quite all right." Jemma assures her, resisting the urge to comb her fingers through her hair. She's sure it's on the verge of looking tangled and crazy thanks to her restlessness but she doesn't want to preen in front of Skye. Not that it matters…why does it feel like it matters? "You're starting to remember?"

"Bits and pieces." Skye replies. "It just seems to come back in fragments, like trying to remember a dream or something. Only, I'm pretty sure it's not a dream but, you know, my actual life. It's weird that I can't remember anything, right?"

Jemma wishes in these moments that she wasn't just a SHIELD Academy freshmen who has been enrolled in classes for barely a month. She wishes that she was some all important scientist with a bunch of degrees and experience and some actual, legitimate idea of what was going on here. Instead Skye got stuck with her; her only skill is getting her homework done on time.

"It does seem a little strange." Jemma mumbles only because not answering Skye's question doesn't really seem like an option. Neither does saying _oh, I really don't know_ even though that's exactly what she's thinking. "It does threaten to disprove my idea of this just being a case of existing on two separate planes because there's no reason you would lose your memories during the crossover. Plus we know that you're a part of _this_ world because of the information on Agent Hill's tablet. I wish I had been able to read more of what was in your file." Unfortunately they don't teach stealth at Sci-Tech or, if they do, it's later in the year.

Skye just sighs and hitches her shoulders in a half shrug. "If I could just remember…"

"Tell me more about your team." Jemma suggests, because she's curious but also because she hopes it'll get the forlorn expression off Skye's face. "Maybe that'll help jog your memory."

So Skye tells Jemma everything that she can remember about the four person team that she was a part of. Unfortunately, she doesn't have many details that she can offer into the conversation, just the general way that she felt as a part of the team. Jemma can tell that Skye found what every SHIELD recruiter promises every rookie: family and a sense of belonging. She can tell that that is probably what Skye misses the most.

"Don't worry, Skye." Jemma says, reaching forward and resting her hand on Skye's knee without even thinking about making contact. Skye feels solid enough beneath her palm, though still cold to the touch and she can still feel that humming sensation that seems to pass between them. "We'll straighten all this out."

Assuming, of course, that Skye isn't dead. And Jemma knows that scientifically ghosts are an improbability so she's trying not to dwell too much on that scenario. She can't do anything to fix dead and the idea of Skye being a ghost and not just rendered invisible by some freak but completely logical occurrence, or being trapped on another planet or plane of existence, is not an idea that Jemma likes entertaining.

They talk for a little while longer, mostly about things of no consequence and finally Jemma's eyes start drooping and feeling heavy and she thinks that she might finally be finished fighting off sleep. She feels less anxious around Skye now, less on edge about the idea of having her hanging around her bedroom while she's trying to sleep. Or maybe she's just too tired to care anymore.

Jemma switches off the light and pulls her covers tightly around herself. Her comforter no longer smells like home but like her dorm in the Academy and it makes her feel both homesick and right where she belongs at the same time. She has a brief, passing thought for what Skye's shampoo and perfume might smell like and Jemma quickly pushes that thought away, grateful that Skye can't see her blush in the darkness of the room.

"Thank you, Jemma." Skye says softly, her voice jarring Jemma from her embarrassing thoughts. "For just…for everything."

Jemma smiles faintly even though she knows that Skye probably can't see her. "I wish I could do more." She confesses.

"You're doing plenty, trust me." Skye assures her. "Just being able to be here with you…it helps a lot."

Jemma tries not to read too much into that statement as she finally drifts off to sleep.

* * *

A knocking on her door startles Jemma from her sleep and she opens her eyes, feeling groggy as she tries to focus on what's going on. What is going on, exactly? She doesn't often have people knocking down her door, especially not this early in the morning.

Jemma's eyes only get wider and things just get harder to process when Skye suddenly appears, moving through the door as though it wasn't there at all. "It's that same guy from the other day." Skye informs her frankly, a subtle edge to her tone that Jemma figures she'd pay more attention to if she wasn't focused on trying to wake up and trying to process just having seen someone walk through a wall.

"Fascinating." Jemma mumbles and Skye arches an eyebrow. "Oh, not Fitz." She clarifies quickly, her cheeks getting pink. "You just…" She gestures toward the door as though that will help everything make sense.

"Oh, yeah." Skye shrugs. "Just call me Casper." Fitz continues knocking and Skye looks at Jemma expectantly. "Are you going to get that? I don't think he's going to stop."

Jemma quickly gets out of bed, running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to make herself look more presentable. She already feels annoyed with Fitz for just showing up, unannounced, so early. They never meet in the dorms before class and after her tossing and turning from the night before, she's not interested in starting that today.

As soon as Jemma opens the door, Fitz walks right into the room, oblivious to the glare that Jemma is currently giving him. "Fitz. It's seven in the morning. We don't have class for another hour and a half."

"We were supposed to meet for tea and study for Professor Hall's exam." Fitz reminds her and Jemma vaguely has a memory of making these plans. Of course, that was before she started seeing people that no one else could. "I waited for you for fifteen minutes."

Jemma sighs and gives him a sheepish look. "I'm sorry, Fitz. I completely forgot."

Fitz gives her that _who is this complete stranger_ look that Jemma has seen over the past few days. "You forgot about studying?" He glances around, his eyes passing right over Skye, before looking back toward Jemma. "Is she…are you still…you know?"

Jemma is pretty sure that Fitz wants to finish that sentence up with _having hallucinations and going crazy_. She's grateful that he decides not to say anything at all.

"Yes." Jemma glances toward where Skye is standing and Fitz follows her gaze but sees nothing but empty space. "Fitz, after seeing the-"

"I know, the mission file on Agent Hill's tablet." Fitz interrupts. "Look, Jemma, I'm really trying to-"

"That's it." Skye's voice distracts Jemma from hearing the rest of Fitz's words and she glances toward the other girl. "The file. Why didn't I think about this before! If Agent Hill had a file about me on her tablet then it has to be in the SHIELD database. We just have to access it." Skye grins widely, seeming almost giddy. "You have a laptop, right?"

Jemma rolls her eyes. "Of course I have a laptop."

Fitz stops talking and gapes at Jemma.

"But," Jemma continues, ignoring his expression, "I hardly have the clearance to access classified SHIELD files. I'm technically not even a level one at this point."

Skye just scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Who needs clearance?" She arches an eyebrow. "We'll just find our own way in."

For a second, Jemma doesn't realize what she means. "Oh, right, of course. Because I know so much about hacking top secret, classified information."

"I can do it." Skye says, seeming surprised by the conviction in her voice. "I know that I can do it."

Fitz watches silently as Jemma moves over to her desk, carefully organizing her assignments from the day before and clearing a space before taking her laptop from the drawer and setting it on the desk. Without thinking, Skye moves over toward the computer but her fingers don't connect with the keys and she lets out a groan of frustration. "Stupid ghost body." She grumbles. "Okay, I'll walk you through it."

Jemma looks at her doubtfully and Skye just rolls her eyes. "You were working on homework last night with words I couldn't even pronounce and you don't think you can handle a few computer tricks?"

"Oh no, of course not. Hacking SHIELD's secure files will be easy as pie." Jemma mutters. But she sits down at the desk anyway and waits as the computer boots up.

"I'm sorry, what's going on here?" Fitz questions, looking at Jemma with an expression of confusion etched on his face. "What's this about classified information?"

Jemma explains Skye's revelation about the file on Hill's tablet and how she believes that she can walk her through all the firewalls and security measures so they can access the file in Jemma's SHIELD Academy dorm room. "Easy as pie." Jemma repeats but her smile definitely isn't sincere.

Fitz just nods and looks like he's honestly given up on anything in his world ever making sense again. Jemma can relate.

"Okay, first, you need to connect to a secure server, not the SHIELD WiFi. They'd shut you down before you even thought about getting through their safeguards." Skye instructs, moving closer to Jemma so she can easily see the computer screen.

Jemma follows Skye's instructions to the letter, feeling as though her fingers are moving on their own accord. Which is probably a good thing, considering the fact that her brain seems to have stopped working. Skye is close enough that her hair is brushing against Jemma's skin and if this was a normal situation, Jemma would be able to feel the heat coming off her body. Right now, she's just feeling a chill and that electric humming sensation that always seems to accompany being close to Skye. It's even harder now than before to remember that Skye isn't really here, that no one else can see or feel her because she seems real enough and her presence is plenty distracting. Jemma wishes that things were different because moving even a centimeter would cause them to touch.

Jemma just forces those thoughts from her mind and concentrates on what Skye is telling her. Skye clearly knows what she's doing. For the first time ever, Jemma is able to sympathize with the people in her life who have had to listen to her talk about chemistry and biology. There are definitely some words that Skye is throwing out that Jemma has never heard before. But listening to Skye and hearing the confidence and fervor in her voice is strangely fascinating.

"Well, I guess we know what SHIELD Academy you attended." Jemma mutters as Skye's instructions allow her to bypass countless encryptions and measures that are designed to keep people from doing exactly this.

Fitz is watching her with an expression of confusion and admiration on his face. "How is this happening…?"

"I told you Fitz." Jemma arches an eyebrow. "Skye."

Fitz's expression turns to one of mostly trepidation and he looks at the empty space next to Jemma like he is finally starting to realize that his friend isn't going crazy after all.

And finally they're in. Jemma is surprised to find that her heart is racing and she doesn't think it's just from the fact that she's probably breaking ever single SHIELD Academy rule known to man. Doing something against the rules and getting away with it is a little bit thrilling. Or maybe it's the pleased smile on Skye's face or the brightness in her eyes that makes Jemma's heart race. Skye looks at her and grins and yeah, her heart is racing right now.

"Okay, we just need to find the current mission files…" Skye leans closer to the computer screen until she's practically cheek to cheek with Jemma. "Click…there." She points at the screen and her finger disappears through the monitor. "Damn it, I am so over this."

"Well, hopefully we'll find something pertinent and have you right as rain soon." Jemma assures Skye, following her directions and pulling up various files. "Ah, here we go."

Fitz comes to stand on Jemma's other side and she figures they all look pretty comical gathered around the small computer screen. Jemma's eyes scan the file quickly; there isn't much information collected about the team's mission to Shanghai to follow up on a lead about a potential Centipede lab. There's only one sentence that strikes Jemma as particularly important and relevant: _Agent Skye Bradford, missing in action_.

"Missing." Skye repeats softly, clearly having zeroed in on the same bit of information that drew Jemma's gaze. "I don't remember any of this. I don't even remember going to Shanghai, let alone being separated from the rest of the team and…" She trails off, her brow knitting. "I was on the South side of the building…they caught me by surprise…  
Jemma shifts in her seat so that it's easier for her to face Skye. "Skye…"

"Missing in action probably means dead, right?" Skye mutters, ignoring her. "They just haven't found me yet. I'm definitely a ghost. Great."

"Now, let's not jump to conclusions." Jemma hopes that she sounds like someone who has a plan or some sort of proof that what Skye's saying isn't true. Because it's hard not to think that Skye's conclusion is the logical one. Aside from the fact that scientific proof involving ghosts doesn't exist. But Jemma isn't sure she's ready to hinge everything on that assumption.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Fitz questions in his _just talking to myself over here_ voice that Jemma has grown very familiar with after all the time she's spent studying with him. His eyes are still scanning the file on the screen, clearly attempting to commit it all to memory. "Agent Coulson."

"He's the team leader." Skye supplies without any form of hesitation and Jemma relays the comment to Fitz. "He must be so worried…"

Jemma looks at Skye and the faraway look she has in her eyes and then glances over at Fitz. "Would you mind giving us a moment?" She questions with a polite smile. She's not sure if she's looking for privacy or just trying to avoid looking even crazier in front of Fitz by essentially having a conversation with herself.

Fitz just shakes his head but doesn't even bother to argue. When the door shuts behind him, Jemma suddenly finds herself feeling anxious, even though she's been around Skye plenty of times before. But it feels different now; everything will be different if what's happened to Skye is irreversible. Jemma doesn't like problems that she can't fix.

Without thinking, Jemma reaches out and takes Skye's hands in her own. As always, she's cold to the touch but it makes Jemma feel better holding onto her anyway. And Skye seems to feel the same, judging by the way that she gives Jemma's hands a squeeze and briefly links their fingers together. "Thanks for trying anyway." Skye mumbles, glancing down at their hands. "At least now we know."

"We don't know anything." Jemma argues and Skye looks up at her. "Missing doesn't mean anything. Well, other than missing, of course. We can't just give up. You can't just be a ghost."

Because if Skye's a ghost, then that's it. This is all that will ever exist between them. Jemma has no idea when she started hoping for a chance, for the possibility of meeting the real Skye when all of this was over but the realization that that's exactly what she wants seems to hit her like a ton of bricks. She's probably jumping the gun or thinking too much on things that don't matter or might not even be possible but Jemma refuses to let their possibility slip away.

For a moment Skye doesn't say anything. She just drops her gaze so that she's looking down at their hands again and how they're still clasped together, real and solid and connected. "I really hope you're right." She says softly.

"Well, if there's one thing I've learned from my instructors, it's that I'm always right." Jemma informs her with forced joviality. "Now, is there anything you can remember? Anything about what happened after you were in the building that might help us figure out where you are?"

It's easier to think and talk about Skye in the present tense; it's easier for Jemma to think about Skye as an objective, another question on an exam that needs answering. She doesn't want to let herself start believing that it's too late.

Skye closes her eyes, her face tense with concentration. "No…there's nothing. Nothing that seems real." She opens her eyes, meeting Jemma's gaze. "But this."

For a brief moment, Jemma thinks that Skye is talking about them and her mouth goes dry and she wonders if Skye might be sensing their grand and tenuous possibility. But then she realizes that Skye is talking about the fact that they're still holding hands and she's relieved that she didn't let something foolish slip out. "Oh, yes." Jemma says, suddenly feeling self conscious and she slips her hands free from Skye's and tries to make it look casual by tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "It is quite strange. Especially considering that you can't touch or hold anything else."

If this was some Katherine Heigl romantic comedy, that would probably mean something. But Jemma doubts that Sci-Tech is the ideal setting for any romantic comedy moments.

The fact that the door swings open and Fitz comes walking back inside before either Jemma or Skye can say anything more only reaffirms that suspicion. "I hate to interrupt…whatever is going on here," Fitz says, looking from Jemma to the empty expanse of the room, "but there is the matter of Professor Vaughn's exam to deal with. And you're still in your pajamas."

Jemma glances down at herself as though this truth has somehow escaped her attention. She is indeed still wearing her pajamas and the fact that the pants have pictures of playful kittens on them only seems to make things worse. She chases Fitz away with the promise of meeting him outside the building in twenty minutes and she quickly sets about putting together the day's outfit.

"I'm sorry, Skye." Jemma says apologetically as she opens the door to the adjoining bathroom. Sci-Tech is the only Academy that doesn't have communal bathrooms and the fact that the bathroom is barely a shoebox doesn't make Jemma any less grateful that she doesn't have to share the space with the rest of the floor. "We can continue to brainstorm after-"

"I know, after the exam. School comes first." Skye says, her tone slightly teasing. "I'll be here when you're done."

She's not and Jemma tries not to find that discouraging.

* * *

Even though it takes Jemma only seventeen minutes to join Fitz outside, he still looks at her like he's been waiting for ages. "Finally." Before Jemma can offer a retort to defend herself, he continues, "I remembered where I had heard Agent Coulson's name before. I overheard Professor Richards talking to Professor Hall and they said that Agent Coulson is going to be on campus later in the week. Apparently he wants to try out some new technology even though it hasn't been field-tested before." He looks pleased with his contribution to the growing strangeness that has become his life over the past few days.

Jemma grins and feels like this information is definitely important. Even if she's not entirely sure what to do with it yet.

When Skye finally reappears several hours later, Jemma doesn't waste any time before telling her about the information that Fitz passed along that morning. It's only after she delivers the news of Coulson's arrival in a burst of excitement that Jemma realizes that Skye doesn't look quite like herself. It's an odd thing to say, honestly, because she's only know Skye for a few days and it hasn't exactly been under the best of circumstances but there's still something different about her. For the first time, she's starting to look like the ghost that Skye seems to think that she is.

But Skye brightens when Jemma tells her about Coulson's impending visit and she even manages a smile. "Jemma, that's great. It's perfect. You have to talk to him."

Jemma looks at her quizzically. "And tell him what, exactly?"

Jemma is on her way to her next class and is acutely aware of people around her. She tries to keep her head down and her voice low in hopes that it's less obvious that she's talking to someone who can't be seen by her classmates. At the moment, however, talking to Skye seems more important than looking less than crazy in front of her peers.

"I don't know…tell him…everything, I don't care." Skye says with a shrug. "But you have to talk to him. He can help, I know that he can."

"But there's nothing that I can tell him, aside from that I can see you when clearly no one else can." Jemma protests. "That won't help anything and he'll probably ship me off to wherever they put the unbalanced Academy students."

Skye's brow knits and she worries her bottom lip between her teeth as she thinks. "We can't just not do anything." She mumbles. "I mean what are the odds of him showing up here anyway? You have to try. I need you, Jemma."

Jemma tries to keep her face expressionless even though her chest is filling with heat. She tries to remind herself that Skye is only saying those words because of whatever strange occurrence has made it possible for Jemma to see her. She'd be saying those words to someone else if things were different.

"I'll do my best, Skye." Jemma promises. "But perhaps if you can remember some details or information? Something substantial I could tell him."

"I'm trying." Skye says softly. "Most of the time there's nothing."

Jemma reaches for her hand, even though she's sure she looks absolutely ridiculous to anyone who spares her a passing glance. But that doesn't seem to matter.

Especially because, before too long, Skye is gone again. Jemma finds herself missing her presence more than she would have thought a few days ago, when having Skye hanging around was nothing but a distraction. Now it feels odd not to have her there and Jemma tries not to worry about what this all means. But that's easier said than done.

Most of the day goes by without Skye hanging around and even though most of her life has passed in this exact way, Jemma now feels like something is missing. That, more than worrying about Skye, makes her feel foolish. Talk about getting ahead of yourself. So she tries to chalk it all up to concern for Skye's well-being (assuming that they're not already too late and that Skye is a ghost after all) and leaves it at that.

Jemma is in her room, reading ahead for her neurochemistry class, when Skye reappears and she doesn't even realize that she's there until Skye starts speaking. "I think I'm in a basement. There's a tiny window and it just feels…damp."

Jemma jumps at the sound of her voice but her surprise is quickly replaced by a feeling of relief. She lifts her head from her textbook and Skye still has that strangely ghostly aura about her but at least she's here, so Jemma isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"A basement." Jemma repeats, setting her book aside. "That's not really a lot to go on."

Skye rolls her eyes at her. "Cut me some slack, okay? It's not exactly like I was in the position to be taking notes as they were dragging me into the house."

She comes to sit down on the bed beside Jemma and Jemma shifts so she and Skye are face to face and the proximity makes her blood start to hum, though she doesn't know if that's a side effect of being close to Skye while she's in this incorporeal state or just a side effect of being close to Skye.

"You don't remember anything else?" Jemma presses gently.

Skye starts to shake her head but then she stops. "It's a big house, at least three stories. On the edge of the water. I remember smelling salt in the air when they were dragging me inside."

Even though she doubts she'll forget, Jemma grabs her notebook and scribbles down all these details. It makes her feel better to be actively doing something even if it's just cataloging information and taking notes. She's very good at taking notes.

Of course, the details from Skye's memory are written down on the same sheet as her notes about the composition of alien DNA so she's going to have to rewrite everything and she realizes this with a hint of annoyance. Skye glances over her shoulder at the words on the paper and arches an eyebrow. "So all of this really makes sense to you, huh?"

Jemma just smirks at her. "All that computer talk makes sense to you, doesn't it?" Most of the words that Skye had used that morning went right over her head but Skye's voice had been full of confidence and the self-assurance that came from a place of experience.

"Touché." Skye says with a smirk. "So what else do you like to do, Jemma Simmons? Other than homework and talking to invisible people, of course."

That's a question that Jemma can't readily answer. Since she got to the Academy, her entire life has been centered around her classes and research and assignments. Fitz is the only friend that she's made and that sort of happened by accident when they were paired during orientation. She hasn't made the effort to get to know any of her other classmates and she hasn't felt like she's missing out on the comradery that the other students seem to share. It's always been that way though; she lost herself in her work and studies because she couldn't seem to figure out how to bridge the gap between herself and her peers. It's different with Fitz because he seems to understand her in a way that people never have before; he understands the importance of studying and focusing on academics. But, for some reason, when Skye asks her about her other interests, Jemma is suddenly embarrassed to admit that she really doesn't have any. The focus of her life lies in her studies and learning how the world works. Everything else seems unimportant.

Except that's not entirely true; the past few days have changed that at least. Because helping Skye and figuring out what's happening to both of them has become just as important to her as all the rest of it. But Jemma can't very well give Skye that answer either.

So Jemma just blushes and shrugs her shoulders, ducking her head. "Oh, I don't know. My workload has been pretty intensive recently." She lies. "I haven't had much time for anything else."

"The burden of being a genius, huh?" Skye teases. She bumps Jemma's shoulder with her own and Jemma smiles. "You have a nice smile, you know?"

That doesn't really help with the pinkness in her cheeks. "Oh, well, thank you." She says because she can't think of anything particularly witty or smooth to say. No one has ever told her that before, especially no one that looked like Skye.

Skye just smiles at her like she knows a secret about her that even Jemma isn't privy to. Jemma wants to tell Skye that she has a nice smile too but the idea makes her tongue-tied and nervous so she just picks up her textbook and starts reading again. Skye makes herself comfortable on the bed, propping herself up with Jemma's pillows and, despite that weird hovering thing, she looks like she belongs there. That thought makes Jemma smile and she hopes Skye doesn't notice.


	3. Part Three

**Part Three **

The following day, Jemma does her fair share of eavesdropping and manages to learn that Agent Phil Coulson is going to be on campus tomorrow, which is good and bad news as far as Skye is concerned. It's clear that she's looking forward to seeing the man, even if he's not going to be able to see her and she seems convinced that a first-semester Academy student is going to be able to convince Coulson to take the necessary steps to help her and get her out of this weird limbo state. But the fact that they still have to wait twenty-four more hours to see Coulson is concerning.

"Something is happening, Jemma." Skye tells her as she follows Jemma across the campus to her next class. "Something feels…different."

Jemma tries to surreptitiously glance in her direction. "Different?"

"I feel less…connected." Skye says. "It's harder to stay."

The fact that Skye disappears more than she hangs around definitely makes Jemma impatient in her own right. She doesn't share Skye's certainty that she'll be able to get Agent Coulson to listen to her but it seems like their only choice. The idea of trying to get an audience with the senior agent, let alone having to explain everything to him, ties her stomach up in knots and makes it hard to focus on anything else. If she's already this much of a wreck, she can only imagine how she'll be tomorrow when she's actually trying to find the man.

Jemma and Fitz are sitting at one of the tables in the dining hall when Skye reappears after hours of being AWOL. Jemma looks up suddenly, dropping her fork and Fitz just looks at her strangely. "What is…" He trails off, looking at the three empty chairs at their table. "Is it…you know? Skye?" He lowers his voice as he says her name, like anyone could possibly hear them over the constant chatter in the room.

Jemma just nods and Skye smirks and shakes her head. "If only I _was_ a ghost," she says wistfully, "then I could have some fun." She tries to push Fitz's tray across the table but it doesn't even budge.

"Yes, it is a shame. Think of all the pranks we could pull." Jemma remarks with a shake of her head.

Fitz goes from looking unnerved by the fact that Jemma is talking to thin air to looking disappointed that being known as the pranking masters of the SHIELD Academy is out of their reach.

Skye's smile also fades, her expression becoming solemn. "Does the name Ian Quinn mean anything to you?"

Jemma purses her lips, thinking, before finally shaking her head. "No, I don't think I've heard of him." She looks over at Fitz. "Fitz, do you know the name Ian Quinn?"

Fitz just shakes his head and Jemma feels a stab of disappointment. She doesn't know why she expected Fitz to know anything about this guy but it still seems disappointing nonetheless.

Skye just frowns, her forehead creasing. "His name just keeps repeating in my head. It seems important."

Jemma just adds the name to her notes of Skye's description of where she believes she's being held captive. Maybe Agent Coulson will take her seriously if she has all this stuff written down.

It's doubtful but if believing that will keep her from having a panic attack than Jemma's going to go with it.

It isn't until later, when Jemma and Fitz have parted ways and Jemma is heading back toward her dorm as the sun sets below the imposing Academy buildings that Skye finally asks the inevitable question. It's one that Jemma has heard several times over the past few weeks and she's honestly surprised that Skye hasn't said anything before. Most people jump right to conclusions. "So…is Fitz your boyfriend?" She asks this with a smirk on her face and an arched eyebrow, like she's more amused by the idea than looking for something to gossip about.

But Jemma still rolls her eyes. "No, of course not." She mumbles. "It's not like that between Fitz and I."

It's also inevitable that people question why this is and Jemma always worries that they might uncover the real truth of the matter, that someone might realize that it's not just Fitz that doesn't appeal to her but all male Sci-Tech students. And she knows that it shouldn't matter but it still does and with Skye is seems to matter even more because she figures that Skye would easily connect the dots and figure out why Jemma is always blushing when she's around.

But Skye doesn't press the issue or insist that Fitz likes her or that Jemma is just blind to her feelings. She doesn't claim that men and women can't just be friends or tell Jemma that she should let herself warm up to the possibility of there being something more between her and Fitz. In fact, Skye seems almost pleased by Jemma's answer.

Back in her dorm, Jemma Googles the name Ian Quinn and discovers that he's the head of Quinn Worldwide, a company that promotes safe mining practices and other Earth-friendly agendas. On paper he seems like a saint: a generous philanthropist who seems to want nothing more than to find and promote cheap, safe energy sources that would benefit even the most improvised countries. But for some reason looking at his picture gives Jemma the shivers and Skye seems to feel the same.

"I think we were investigating him in Shanghai." She mutters, peering over Jemma's shoulder.

Jemma wonders if she's doing this on purpose because there's plenty of space on either side of her that wouldn't require Skye to be practically hanging on top of her. But Jemma doesn't rush to point this out.

"I just feel like I know him." Skye says. "Like it all goes back to him."

Further digging doesn't turn up anything incrementing and Skye disappears before she can walk Jemma through hacking into the SHIELD database again. Jemma spends most of her night tossing and turning and fretting about trying to talk to Coulson and worrying about where Skye might have gone and what she meant when she said that she felt less connected to everything. When she finally does fall asleep she dreams about being stuck underground and desperately calling for help, though her efforts are in vain. When someone finally comes for her it's Ian Quinn with his smarmy smile and expensive suit. Jemma wakes up with sweat on her brow and her heart thumping in her chest and she wonders if she dreamt about Quinn because she'd been looking at his face the night before or if Skye is right and he's got something to do with all of this after all. Of course, she feels ridiculous for thinking along those lines. She doesn't believe in precognition or dreams that look into the future.

Of course, a week ago she didn't believe in ghosts or out of body experiences either. So there's that.

This time when Skye appears without warning while Jemma is brushing her teeth with one hand and her hair with the other, she manages not to jump in surprise. She considers that progress.

Skye doesn't wait for Jemma to get herself together before she announces, "I know that it's Quinn. I remember him. You have to find Coulson and tell him now. They can track properties owned by Quinn Worldwide in Shanghai and the surrounding provinces. And don't forget to mention the water and the basement and-"

"Hold on, Skye." Jemma says as soon as she's finished brushing her teeth. "How do you know it's Quinn?" She has the feeling that the more details she has the better.

"I heard his voice." Skye tells her, her expression still wild and impatient.

Jemma can't keep her eyes from going wide. "You heard him? Fascinating. So you aren't dead and you're clearly still connected to your physical body in some way which is-"

"Fascinating, yeah I got it. Can we have science class later please?" Skye gives her a look. "Right now you really need to find Coulson."

Jemma fidgets nervously, tapping her hairbrush against the palm of her hand. "Skye…I'm just not sure this is going to be a good idea. I'm going to sound absolutely insane and that's if he even makes the time to talk to me at all. Maybe there's another way we could communicate with him, so that he would know it was you. I'm just a student and a freshmen at that. I'm not sure there's anything that I can do."

Skye looks surprised and betrayed by her words, her face falling and her eyes filling with surprise. Jemma feels her heart constrict at the sight. "Jemma, please. You have to help me. I'm running out of time, I can tell. I can feel it. I need you. _Please_." She reaches out to take Jemma's hands but Jemma can no longer feel her touch. Instead her hands pass right through Jemma's like they've done with everything else.

When Jemma looks up at Skye, she's certain that Skye's face mirrors the expression of shock and anxiety on her own face. "Yes, let's talk to him shall we?"

Jemma might not have any idea about what's going on here but she's pretty sure that can't be good.

Actually finding Coulson requires the help of both Fitz and Skye, who has the advantage over both of them because she can walk through walls and scope the situation out without anyone being the wiser. Unfortunately, she also has a tendency to disappear so Jemma and Fitz find themselves doing more eavesdropping than probably any other SHIELD Academy student. Thankfully Lily Kane is an expert on sniffing out the information that she's not supposed to have (if she wasn't so terrifyingly good at engineering weapons Jemma would have thought she was at the wrong Academy) and Fitz overhears her talking about how her meeting with Professor Clemens was canceled because of a meeting with some SHIELD big shot.

Jemma practically runs out of Professor Vaughn's class as soon as he ends the lecture and doesn't slow her pace as she hurries across campus, hoping to make it to Clemens' office before Coulson goes elsewhere or, worse, leaves the Academy all together.

"Did you find him?" It doesn't even strike Jemma as bizarre when Skye just materializes as she walks into the Engineering and Design building. She's going to have to ask Skye how she manages to find her so effortlessly but now is not the time for collecting data.

"Hopefully." Jemma says, pausing briefly to catch her breath. Physical training at Sci-Tech consists mainly of lugging giant tomes across campus.

Jemma hasn't spent much time in the Engineering and Design building; working with gadgets is definitely not her area of expertise. She could use Fitz right about now to show her the easiest way to get to Professor Clemens' office. Unfortunately she left him and the rest of her classmates in the dust when she bolted out of her last class.

Jemma turns the corner toward Clemens' office just as Clemens is coming out of the room with another man in tow. Jemma doesn't recognize him but the cut of his suit and the way he carries himself suggests that he's not a new SHIELD recruit.

"That's him." Skye says brightly. Her tone is cheerful but her face betrays her longing and loneliness. Jemma can only imagine how it feels to be separated, perhaps forever, from the family you've made for yourself.

Before her nerves get the better of her, Jemma blurts out, "Mr. Coulson. Agent Coulson. Sir. I need to speak with you."

"Not now." Coulson says without even looking in her direction. He resumes his conversation with Clemens as they go walking past.

Jemma quickly follows after them. "Sir, it's extremely important." Neither of the men turn in her direction. "It's about Skye. Er, rather, Agent Bradford." No one has ever said that she was good at being smooth.

But Coulson stops and turns back in Jemma's direction. "What did you say?" His brow knits as he takes a step toward her.

Skye is practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Tell him about Quinn. And the house and-" A quick glare in her direction renders her momentarily silent.

Jemma clears her throat and shifts nervously. "Perhaps we could talk in private, sir?" The fewer people that hear the madness that's about to come out of her mouth, the better.

Coulson sighs and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, I'm too busy for this right now."

As he starts to turn away, Jemma says, "I promise I'm not wasting your time, sir." She hopes he won't consider her story about seeing his missing agent when no one else can a waste of time. "Please. Just a few moments of your time?"

Coulson hesitates, his gaze sliding toward Clemens, who just shrugs. Skye purses her lips and clasps her hands together. "Come on AC." She mumbles.

Maybe he can hear her after all because he relents with a sigh and Clemens offers his office for them to use and Jemma starts trying to mentally put together a speech as she follows Coulson back into the room. It no longer seems important to make herself seem like less of a crazy person; she can deal with the ramifications of looking like she's suffering a mental breakdown, even if it gets her kicked out of the Academy. All that matters is that Coulson listens to her and tries to help Skye.

Coulson shuts the door behind them and looks at Jemma expectantly. "And you are?"

She introduces herself quickly, though she has the feeling that Coulson doesn't care about her focus in biochemistry. "This is going to sound a little…well, honestly, a _lot_ crazy-"

"This is not instilling me with confidence." Coulson tells her, glancing at his watch. "Time is of the essence to me right now, Miss Simmons. You mentioned one of my agents. I'd like to know how you know her and what information you have about her."

Jemma opens her mouth and then shuts it again when she can't bring herself to start speaking right away. She's sure the fish on dry land look isn't helping her case either. She glances over at Skye, who just gives her a thumbs-up. "Well, you see sir, that's the crazy part."

Jemma takes a deep breath before launching into her story. She starts with first running into Skye in the library and how it quickly became obvious that no one else could see her and how they realized who she was because of the information she gleaned from Agent Hill's tablet. But she doesn't get to deliver any of the information that Skye has managed to remember because Coulson is shaking his head, a disappointed expression on his face.

"I don't have time for this." Coulson says, an expression of disgust on his face. "One of my agents is missing, possibly in extreme danger and you waste my time with this ridiculous story."

Coulson yanks the door open and Jemma grabs onto his elbow without thinking and she wonders how he fares in interrogations because the look that he gives her is terrifying enough to make her want to beg for mercy and confess to stealing Susie Clayton's coloring book in grade school.

"Please, sir, you have to listen to me. I know it sounds crazy. Believe me, I know. But you have to listen. _Please_." Jemma begs.

Coulson jerks his arm free. "I can assure you, Miss Simmons, I don't have to do anything."

"Tell him about Quinn." Skye says, coming to stand in front of Coulson as though she can possibly keep him from walking out of the room. "Tell him that I think that it's personal for him because of what happened in Malta."

Jemma looks from Skye back to Coulson, wondering if she looks as desperate as she feels right now. Because if he walks out that's it, she's not going to get another chance. And she might get expelled from the Academy to boot.

"Ian Quinn." Jemma blurts out. "You were after him in Shanghai, right? He has Skye now. She thinks it has something to do with what happened in Malta?" The confidence leaves her voice quickly and now she feels like she's asking questions instead of delivering information.

Coulson looks at her for a moment, confusion crossing his features. He steps back into the office and shuts the door once more. "Who are you?" He doesn't sound exactly curious, just guarded and a little suspicious.

Dumbly Jemma says, "Jemma Simmons, sir."

"How do you know about Quinn? And Malta?" Coulson takes a step toward her and Jemma gets that interrogation room feeling all over again. "And Shanghai for that matter."

Jemma's eyes flick in Skye's direction and Coulson follows her gaze. Of course there's nothing for him to see. "Explain." He says gruffly.

Rather than waste time going over the whole seeing people who aren't there thing, Jemma just tells him the rest of the things that Skye has been able to remember about the house and the water in hopes that she'll somehow sound more credible. But she feels like she just sounds more crazy.

"I don't have time for this." Coulson says again. "I can't waste time and resources on this wild goose chase. I know that the seriousness of this matter is lost on you because you're just a student but I can assure you that I take the safety of my team very seriously. And I'm not going to jeopardize her safety by taking your word for it." He turns toward the door once more. "Now, excuse me."

"Please, sir, you have to trust me." Jemma says desperately, aware that she's only one step from dropping to her knees and begging him. Hopefully she can keep that remaining shred of dignity. "Time is running out. She doesn't have much longer. _Please_. You have to do something."

Jemma realizes halfway through this plea that she's giving herself away. Her personal investment in Skye's well-being and her feelings for Skye have suddenly laid themselves bare in front of Coulson and Skye and there's no going back now. But it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if Coulson thinks that she's unprofessional and desperate because of her developing feelings for Skye as long as he decides to listen to the words that she's saying.

Coulson looks at her for a moment longer and his gaze seems to soften and Jemma thinks that maybe she's gotten through to him after all. But he finally just shakes his head and sighs. He doesn't say anything as he leaves the office and this time Jemma doesn't bother to try and stop him because, honestly, there's no point.

Jemma just sighs, feeling her shoulders slump and for some reason she wants to start crying right there in the middle of Professor Clemens' office. Instead she just takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.

"Don't worry, Jemma." Skye says softly and when Jemma opens her eyes, she's surprised to see Skye standing right beside her. It's strange not to be able to feel her anymore. "At least you tried. And maybe he'll listen anyway."

"I'm sorry." Jemma says softly. She feels like they both know that her conversation with Coulson isn't going to be enough.

Skye reaches for her hand and knowing that she won't actually be able to feel Skye doesn't stop Jemma from trying.

* * *

When Fitz asks Jemma if she was able to meet with Coulson, she keeps her answer as brusque as possible, not wanting to rehash how her encounter with Coulson failed so miserably. The fact that Skye has been appearing and disappearing like a bad TV signal just makes things worse. The only silver lining that Jemma can see is that no one has showed up to do a mental evaluation on her or tell her to pack her bags. At least, that hasn't happened _yet_.

Jemma feels like it's pure exhaustion that causes her to fall asleep the second that her head hits the pillow because she's definitely got enough on her mind to keep her up for half the night. She barely manages to finish the conversation that she's having with Skye before her eyes drop closed and she's lost in dreamland.

This time when Jemma dreams, she dreams of Skye. But she dreams of Skye as she's technically never seen her: whole and solid and warm and completely alive. They're in a place that's unfamiliar to Jemma but in the dream she feels comfortable and content, happy to be exactly where she is. Of course, she figures that that has more to do with the fact that she's there with Skye than with anything else. Skye is smiling at her and when she pulls Jemma to her, an electric heat spreads through Jemma's body and she can taste the smile on her own lips. In a burst of daring, she closes the distance between them and kisses Skye and the kiss is returned with a fervor that makes Jemma's knees go weak and her skin grow hot.

Skye takes her face in her hands, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. She kisses the tip of her nose softly and Jemma closes her eyes and smiles and pulls Skye closer to her. "Jemma." Skye whispers her name softly, like it's a sentence all on its own and Jemma opens her eyes and kisses Skye again and swallows anything else that she might think to say.

Jemma wakes from her dream way too soon and is surprised to find that her heart is beating and her chest is heaving for a completely different reason than the last time she woke up like this. Her skin is flushed and Jemma feels a longing so strong that it's almost physical.

Shaking off the last vestiges of the dream, Jemma sits up and switches on the bedside lamp. For some reason, she feels imbued with a strange sense of courage and while she's sure that late-night, sleep-muddled confessions are never a good idea, she feels like she might need to make one anyway. For better or worse.

"Skye, listen I -" Jemma pauses when she realizes that she's alone and even though this has happened before it still feels odd. "Skye?"

It's not like Jemma's expecting an answer but her heart still drops a little in her chest. She switches the lamp off again and pulls the blankets over her head, trying to will herself to fall back to sleep. It's not like Skye has never just disappeared before and it's not the first time she's ever disappeared without a warning. She'll just pop back up at an inopportune moment, just like she always does. So why does Jemma have a hard time believing that?

* * *

In the morning, Skye is still gone. Again, this isn't exactly strange but for some reason Jemma can't shake the feeling that something has happened, that something is different. That whatever is going on with Skye is permanent and that she won't be coming back. Jemma feels her body grow cold as she thinks about what that might mean. She was too late, she didn't do enough to help Skye, she didn't say enough to Coulson. She never should have let him leave without promising to believe her and help Skye. And now it's too late.

Jemma tries to shake these feelings, to assure herself that she's just jumping to conclusions but each hour that passes without Skye materializing to distract her from the work she should be doing just makes Jemma more and more certain that something horrible has happened. And what can she do now?

When Jemma tells Fitz about her concerns, he attempts to comfort her but his efforts seem flat and without any real feeling or certainty. Not that Jemma can blame him. After all, not having Skye around now isn't any different for him.

By the end of the day, Jemma is convinced that there's definitely something going on. At orientation, SHIELD's policy on secrets and information that was parceled out in pieces based on clearance level made complete sense to Jemma. Now she just finds it incredibly annoying. You'd think she would have welcomed the day that she stopped seeing people that weren't there and could return her focus back to her studies.

Jemma doesn't sleep much that night and she doesn't dream, not even the mundane dreams about homework and her class schedule that she used to have all the time before she came to the Academy. And when she wakes up in the morning, she's still alone and it's still disheartening. She was never able to truly understand how the whole thing worked, how Skye was managing to materialize in the first place when her body was elsewhere so Jemma can't even begin to speculate as to what her absence means. Did Coulson listen to her after all and send the rescue team? Or did time run out and bring Skye's limbo state to an end? Jemma doesn't believe in ghosts or the afterlife or anything that extends beyond the realms of scientific explanation. And science is pretty clear on what happens when biological function comes to an end. Jemma can only hope that whatever happened to Skye that it has more to do with the former of her hypotheses and not the latter.

"Are you all right?" Fitz questions when he meets Jemma outside her building so they can walk to Professor Hall's class together. "You're looking a bit knackered."

Jemma rolls her eyes. "Thanks Fitz." She mumbles.

Fitz's expression becomes more sympathetic and he puts his hand on her shoulder. "Is Skye still, you know…gone?"

Jemma figures that her silence is answer enough.

They find their seats in the lecture hall and Jemma forces herself to focus on the mundane activities of getting out her books and pens so she can take notes because she can't afford to let her lack of sleep or distractions impact her school performance. Her studies are the only thing she has to put her energy into now and maybe that's how it should be.

Professor Hall calls the class to order, an uncharacteristically large smile on his face. "I thought it would be interesting to you all to learn that your peers have already begun assisting active SHIELD agents in the field. Thanks to efforts made in part by our brilliant engineering students, a SHIELD agent that had been previously missing in action has been recovered and a member of the Centipede organization has been apprehended." Hall informs them. "So I hope you all continue to take your studies seriously. What you do here does matter."

Jemma sits up straighter in her desk, fighting down the urge to raise her hand and request more information from Hall. He's clearly said all that he's going to say on the subject if his shift toward the practicality of Gravitonium is any indicator. Fitz looks over at her and the expression on his face lets her know that he's thinking the same thing that she is.

Professor Hall's class has never seemed to drag on this long before.

As soon as they're dismissed, Jemma makes a beeline for Professor Hall's desk and he gives her a polite smile but doesn't pay any attention to her until she comes to stand right in front of him with an expectant look on her face. "What can I do for you, Jemma?"

"The agent that was rescued, do you happen to know her name, sir?" Jemma questions, fidgeting impatiently.

Professor Hall arches an eyebrow. "I never said it was a female agent." He remarks. "How did you know that?"

Jemma waves her hand dismissively. "That's not important."

"Oh, I think that it is."

But Jemma just bypasses that question. "Is she alive?" Hall doesn't respond and Jemma feels frustration bubble in her chest. Stupid SHIELD and their stupid secrets and their stupid levels. "Please, sir. Is she all right?"

Hall hesitates for a moment longer before replying, "All I know is that she was in bad shape when they took her to the SHIELD hospital. I don't know if she's pulled through or not." He gives her an almost sympathetic look. "I'm sorry."

Jemma thanks him for the information and goes to join Fitz, telling him what Hall just relayed to her. Fitz promises to try to dig up further information and Jemma nods without really listening. All she can think about are Hall's words about Skye's prognosis. "Bad shape" for a SHIELD agent is typically a lot worse than the phrase would suggest.

Jemma is surprised when Fitz meets her for lunch and is practically bursting with information about Skye's recovery. Apparently the engineering professors weren't quite as mum on the subject and have been gloating about their hand in the apprehension of Quinn all day. "I would have loved to see the looks on their faces when I told them the real reason they found that Quinn guy." Fitz remarks with a smile. "It would have been brilliant."

"Fitz." Jemma says impatiently. "What did you learn about Skye?"

"She's at the SHIELD hospital about an hour from here." Fitz tells her, looking disappointed that she isn't finding the humor in the situation the way that he is. "Apparently there are doctors there that Agent Coulson trusts. But that's all I could…wait, Jemma? Where are you going?"

Jemma is already getting to her feet, turning away from the table where she has been sitting with Fitz. "To the hospital." She replies without turning around.

"What about Professor Vaughn's class? Not to mention the rest of your classes." Fitz protests. "Jemma?" But she's already out of earshot.

Jemma never thought there would come a day when she would ever even consider skipping her lectures. But there's a first time for everything.

Getting past the waiting room of the SHIELD hospital proves to be far more difficult than talking to Coulson or getting even vague information out of Professor Hall. And by difficult, Jemma means downright impossible. She considers it a plus that the receptionist doesn't have security throw her back out into the parking lot. Jemma finds herself pacing the length of the room as she tries to think of a story that will convince the woman to let her see Skye or at least let her know that Skye isn't dead or dying. Jemma is starting to resign herself to the fact that she might never see Skye again and is trying to convince herself that that'll be okay as long as she knows that Skye is all right.

Unfortunately improvisation and lying have never been her strong points so Jemma's brainstorming isn't going very well. Plus the receptionist is just watching her as she paces, an unimpressed look on her face, so Jemma feels like even the most ingenious story won't get her very far.

It's difficult to say who is more surprised: Jemma when she turns around and sees Coulson walking through the automatic doors or Coulson when he takes off his sunglasses and sees Jemma standing there gaping at him. Coulson just sighs and beckons to Jemma and she can't see any other option so she just slinks over.

"I'm not sure what I'm most curious about right now." Coulson begins. "How you knew exactly where to find Skye or what you're doing here right now."

Jemma isn't sure whether or not she's expected to offer up any sort of reply so she remains silent until Coulson gives her an expectant look. "I heard that you found her." She tells Coulson. "I wanted, I mean I had hoped, I thought I might…" Jemma sighs and takes a deep breath. "I wanted to make sure that she was okay."

Coulson starts down the hallway toward the elevator bay and gestures for Jemma to follow after him. She can't resist giving the receptionist a victorious smile as she goes walking by.

"I don't understand any of this." Coulson says as he steps into the elevator with Jemma at his heels. "But I'm sort of past the point of caring right now. We were lucky to find Skye when we did. Quinn and the rest of his group had been torturing her for information; she was dehydrated, malnourished, not to mention…" He trails off and Jemma is slightly grateful that he's deciding to omit the details of exactly how Quinn had been trying to get information out of Skye. Jemma is pretty sure she doesn't have the stomach for that sort of conversation. "You were right. She was out of time. I don't know how you did it, I don't know what any of this means. But thank you."

Jemma returns his smile, surprised by the gratitude. At least there's someone other than Fitz who doesn't seem to think that she's completely crazy. It's a relief. But so is knowing that Skye is alive and recovering.

Coulson walks Jemma down the hallway toward Skye's room and offers to give her a few minutes of privacy with Skye, which Jemma feels is his way of continuing to thank her for whatever strange part she played in all of this. Jemma takes a deep breath as she steps into the room, feeling a nervous fluttering in her chest. This feels different from all the other times she's seen or been around Skye. This is something else entirely.

Skye looks like a far cry from the woman that Jemma has been seeing for the past several days. Her face is bruised and spotted with lacerations and her neck and shoulders don't look much better. Her arm is in a splint and any further injuries are hidden by the thin blanket draped across her torso and lower body. Jemma draws in a breath, curling her fingers into the palm of her hand. She hopes that the SHIELD agents currently responsible for interrogating Quinn are giving him a taste of his own medicine.

Skye stirs and her eyes flutter open and Jemma takes a step toward her, her mouth going dry, fumbling with the proper way to greet Skye. What exactly is the protocol for this situation? The barrage of emotions flooding through her body right now aren't exactly helping her think straight.

"Hello." Jemma says softly and while it's not exactly witty or personal, it's a start.

Skye looks at her, her expression slowly turning to one of confusion. "What are you doing here?" Her voice is raw and lacking the verve that Jemma has come to expect and love.

Jemma inhales sharply and feels her heart plummet. Skye doesn't know her. It seems completely unfair that after everything, after the connection they'd seemed to share and the feelings that Jemma had been unable to ignore, that Skye would have no idea who she was. But that Skye isn't the one that Jemma is seeing now. Jemma takes a step back toward the door and gives her an apologetic smile. She'd rather leave than try to explain any of this to Skye, especially not when she feels like her heart is breaking.

"Don't you have class?" Skye continues, mustering a weak smile. "I thought nothing came before class."

A wave of relief floods through Jemma's body and she can't keep from grinning, feeling tears prick her eyes. She blinks them away, feeling foolish but she can't seem to get the stupid grin off her face. "I think I can make an exception."

Skye holds out her unbandaged hand and Jemma goes to her side immediately, twining their fingers together. This time, Skye feels warm and solid beneath her touch.

**end. **


End file.
